It's January, bloody freezing and snow is meant to be on its way. Apart from getting out the thermals, have you planned what you are going to do for your brand to make the most of this?
I am a huge believer in planning and planning not to plan. What on earth does that mean, well, let me explain. You can plan marketing activity around things that are in the calendar, Christmas has just gone and valentines day is on the horizon. But what about all the unexpected things: bad weather, cup final surprises etc. There are a large number of things that we know are going to happen at some point, but we feel like they are surprises when they come around. You can however plan ahead and as a fractional CMO, I really encourage people to do this.
The first part of this is the ability to move fast. This is where entrepreneurs have the edge, but big brands can do this to. Remember the 2013 Super Bowl? Power outage plunges the game into darkness, and Oreo tweets, "You can still dunk in the dark." Boom! Brand engagement gold. Even if the content looking back feels pretty weak, it was huge at the time and I still remember it a decade later. It worked because they had the systems and trust to react.
The second part is being prepared. There are lots of metaphorical blizzards on the horizon, so why, are brands still scrambling for shovels when the flakes start falling?
The answer lies in embracing reactive agility.
Preparing for the Expected Blizzards:
1.      Content Stockpile: Don't wait for inspiration to strike like a bolt of lightning. Build a content blizzard reserve – witty social media posts, funny infographics, even pre-recorded video segments – tailored to predictable events. When the real storm hits, you'll have your blizzard-fighting arsenal ready.
2.      Real-Time Monitoring: Think of yourself as a weatherman, constantly tracking the social media and news radar. Spot brewing trends, potential controversies, and emerging memes. This way, you can hop on the snowdrift before it buries your competitors.
3.      Embrace Collaboration: Reactive agility thrives on teamwork. Foster a culture where everyone, from designers to data analysts, feels empowered to chime in with creative ideas during a crisis. Remember, the best snow forts are built by a tribe, not a lone snowman.
4.      Learn from your misses. So often we think about what we should have done. Bank that idea and see if it could work on another occasion. If it can, prep for it next time. The cocktail snow silhouette above is one of these. I thought about it after the thaw and kicked myself, but I was ready to roll next time the snow came.
So, it's going to snow soon, what have you got planned, I would love to know in the comments below.
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